Building block



Oct. 2, 1928.

- 1,686,270 C. A. DWYER ET AL BUILDING BLOCK Filed Jan. 11, 1927 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 2, 1928.

UNITE s'ra' rs CARL A. LWYER AND WILLIAM A. WHEELER, or OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA;

BUILDING BLooK.

Application filed January 11, 1927.- Serial No. 160,332.

Our invention relates to blocks for use in bulldlng wall structures.

An object of the invention is to provide blocks of the class described which are so,

interlocked in a: structure built'thereof that they will be held together without the use of a binding medium such as mortar or the like. J H The Invent on possesses other objects anc features of advantage, some of which with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of theinvention which is illustrated in the drawings acconupanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be. understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawings and description may .be adopted within the scope of the vention as set forth in the claims. Referring to'said drawings,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a course ofv the blocks at a right corner, with a corner blockof the next course disposed above sald corner 1n spaced relation therefrom. v.

F lgure 2 1s a fragmentary face view of several courses of the side of wall formed withthe blocks and including a right corner, a corner block being also shown disposed in unseated relation above the upper course. I I I a I Figure 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of the block. I

' Figure 4 is a perspective view of a form of the block for use in binding walls built with more than one row of the blocks.

Figure 5 is an end sectional view of a wall disclosing. the manner in which the block shown in Figure 4 is utilized. 1 I

One of theprincipal items in the cost of erecting wallsof blocks or bricl'rstructure has heretofore been encountered in the mak-' ing and placing of bedding mortar between the blocks. In accordance with our invention, however, a building block is provided which may be used to erect a wall structure withoutnecessitating the use of mortar or other binding material, whereby much time will be saved anda mar-lied economy result. ,And since the blocks are to be held together without the use of separate binding medium, they are made of a specialinterlocking form whereby they are arranged to nest together in a structure in suchamanner that displacement of the individual blocks from the structure. is prevented, and the load of "blocks 6, and special corner blocks 7 and" 8,

which latter are arranged for use in constructing the corners'of walls formed with the blocks 6. One bearing face of each block 6 is formed with a rib'or tongue 9 extending longitudinally and centrally oftheblock for the entire length thereof and with like grooves '11 adjacent and parallelftothe tongue at either side of its base. while the other bearing face is formed with a groove 12 and ribs 13which are respectively com plementary to the rib 9 and" grooves 11 whereby the blocks "may be nested together in superposed relation with the entire surfaces of the ribs and grooves in bearing contact.

grooves are plane and such ribs and grooves are of V section. Furthermore, the inner walls of the grooves llare coterrninous and coplanar with the adjacent walls of the ribs Preferably, and as here shown, the varloussurfaces defining the different r bs and T l a 9 whereby such'surfaces form part of a :com- I men surface 1d, it being noted that the corresponding surfaces of the groove 12 and ribs 13 define surfaces 16 for engagement with the surfaces 14. The outer surfaces, 17

.of the ribs 13 are obliquely disposed tov and terminate at the side faces 18 of the blocks, while the outer surfaces 1.9 of the grooves 11 extend parallel to the surfaces 17-prefer-.

'to those defined by the surfaces 17 with said In this manner an'isoscel-es groove.

planes.

23 is arranged to be defined at the juncture of superposed blocks whereby an ordinary mortargolnt .18 suggested on the wall face and sharp outer'blockedges are avoided.

By disposing the various pairs of surfaces which define theribs and grooves in like angular relation to vertical planes through the vertices of such ribs and grooves, as is herethe blocks are reversible so that either face 18 may be disposed in a given wall-face. Furthermore, the angles of the ribs and grooves are preferably not less than about 70 degrees and may in some cases be advantageously made as great as about 100 de grees-it being noted that the tendency of arib 9 of one block to wedge open the block in which it engages is counteracted by the engagement of the ribs 13 of the latter block in thegrooves 11 of the former. In this manner, a maximum engagement of the bearing surfaces of superposed blocks is effected to insure an even distribution of the load through the blocks of different courses.

The corner blocks 7 and 8, it will now be noted, are of the same length the blocks 6 and are also provided with ribs and grooves corresponding to those of such blocks, but each of the ribs and grooves of the former blocks are generally L shaped, with a major portion thereof extending longitudinally of the block and with the remaining portion thereof making the desired corner angle with the first portion and terminating at a side face of the block, it being noted that the latter portions extend oppositely with respect to the former portions in the different blocks 7 and 8. In this manner, rectangular end faces 26 and 27 are provided on the blocks 7 and Swhereby, incombination with the adjacent side faces 28 and 29 respectively, the desired corner is defined and the joint is at the same time completely concealed. It will now be noted that in the present embodiment of the invention, the blocks 7 and 8 are of the same length as the blocks 6 and are twice as long as they are wide so that those of successive courses may be disposed in cross-lapped relation at a corner in the same manner in which ordinary rectangular brick aredisposed at a corner, it being noted that the corner proper is thus built up of halves of the blocks 7 and 8 and that the half-lapping of blocks in the successive courses terminating at the corner is thus provided for. And it will be further noted that the inter-engagement of ribs and grooves of the successive blocks 7 and 8 now provided interlocks the wall ends together at the corner.'

, In the embodiment of the block 6 disclosed inFigure 3, means are provided for preventing the longitudinal shifting of the blocks over each other, and as there shown, each block 6 is provided with tongues 31 formed on the surfaces 14 thereof and grooves 32 in I their surfaces 16, such tongues and grooves of a block being correspondingly positioned so that successive blocks may be nested together with a tongue 31 of one registered in a groove 32 of the block against which it bears. To provide for the half-lapping previously referred to, the tongues 31' and grooves 32 are disposed at distances from the block ends equal to one-fourth of the length of the block.

WVhen awall is to be constructed with more than one row of blocks, it is obviously desirable to tie the rows together, and means are provided for effecting such tieing. As here shown, such ineans comprises the use of a block 42, which block is formed as though apair of the blocks Ger 6 are fixed together at a common side face. In 'this'manner, a tying means is provided which also provides a pair of blocks in the structure and may be readily placed inoperative position,

such means cooperating with the tie provided at the corners to produce a particularly rigid structure.

It will be noted that the blocks now described may be made of any suitable material, such asa brick clay or cement composition, and that the exposed side surfaces thereof may be finished in any desired man ner.

We claim: I

1. In a building block, a bearing face pro viding a rib defined by angularly related greater than'the depth of the grooves of'said face with respect to a plane defined by the top edges of said grooves.

2. In a building block, a centrallongitudinal rib provided on a bearing face thereof, and like ribs at either side of the first ribs, said last ribs terminating at side faces of the block and being of less height than the former rib and cooperating therewith to define grooves at the base'ofthe latter.

3. In a building block, a central longitudinal rib provided on a bearing face thereof, like ribs at either side of said first rib having oblique outer side faces terminating at the longitudinal side faces of the block. a central longitudinal groove provided in the other bearingface'of said block and complementary to said first rib, and bearing faces extending obliquely from the edges of said groove in parallel relation to the inner faces of said side ribs and terminating at said longitudinal side faces of theblock. I

4. In a wall structure, like blocks arranged in adjacent courses and each havinga central longitudinal rib on a bearing face thereof, like ribsat either side of said first rib having oblique outer side faces terminating at the longitudinal side faces of the block, a central longitudinal groove provided in the other bearing face of said block and complementary to said first rib,and bearing faces extending obliquely from the edge of said groove in parallel relation to the inner faces of said side ribs and terminating at said 1011- gitudinal side faces of the block; and binder blocks composed of integrally related portions each shaped as are said first blocks and engaged in and between adjacent courses of said first blocks.

In testimony whereof, We have hereunto set our hands at Oakland, California, this 7th day of January, 1927.-

CARL A. DWYER. WILLIAM A. WHEELER. 

